Jags have yet to slam door on Jones-Drew trade

With Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew wanting a new deal and Jaguars owner Shahid Khan flatly refusing to give it to him, the impasse will be resolved only if someone blinks.

Unless the Jaguars are willing to trade him.

In the 24 hours or so since news broke of Jones-Drew’s willingness to consider being traded, the Jaguars have not publicly declared that they won’t trade him. (So much for the idiot who predicted that Khan would say, “No way.”) Instead, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the Jaguars are receiving calls from potentially interested teams.

This is either coming from the Jaguars or the teams that have been calling. Either way, neither the Jaguars have added “they’re wasting their time” nor have the teams added “the Jaguars said we’re wasting out time.”

Which means that the door on a trade has not been closed.

It’s the only way for the two sides to save face and secure what can be painted as a victory, if a new team is willing: (1) to give the Jaguars what they want in trade; and (2) to pay Jones-Drew what he wants to be paid.

The most obvious — and intriguing — trade partner plays in Atlanta, where former Jags offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter is now running the offense. Though the Jags may not be interested in a package that would include, say, running back Michael Turner and more, bringing Jones-Drew to the Falcons would allow the team to go younger at the starting tailback position. It also would kick the attack to a potentially higher level.

Beyond the Falcons, teams that believe they’re a strong running back away from becoming serious contenders would be prime candidates, especially if the coach and/or G.M. know that the team needs to seriously contend in 2012, or they may not be there in 2013.

At the top of our list would be the Chargers, whose head coach and G.M. have drifted firmly into “win now or go home” territory, and whose supposed workhorse tailback already has a broken collarbone.

Meanwhile, the fact that Jones-Drew has run into a brick wall when it comes to getting a new contract from the Jaguars suggests that Jones-Drew underestimated the will of the team’s new owner. For more on that, we ask that you muster the will to click the box below.

Does MJD make the Jaguars a better football team? Absolutely. Does not having him in Jax make or break the team? Absolutely not. See last year’s (5-11) record.

MJD did this to himself. He went from the star of the city and face of the franchise coming off a career year to this mess. Maybe he is getting bad advice, but it was a horrible decision on his part.

To the people saying “The Jags should pay their best player…” THEY DID! They paid him earlier than they needed to. They ripped up his rookie contract and gave him a huge brand new front-loaded contract that made him the 3rd highest paid RB in the league. This was risky for them considering he had never carried the load before as he shared carries with Fred Taylor.

Did I mention the contract was front-loaded?

Not having MJD in camp this year was the best thing to happen to the new-look Jaguars as it forced them to put more pressure on Blaine Gabbert and the passing game. This is Blaine’s team now.

Would I welcome MJD back tomorrow? For sure. Am I scared of handing the reigns over to Rashad Jennings? No way. He is more than capable to carry the load.

I am totally on board with Shad Khan’s stance on this one. MJD could have handled this differently, but he did not. The Jags have multiple players in their LAST year of their contract (unlike MJD who has 2 years left) who are here and working their butts off. I guarantee Khan will make the right message by extending these guys before he gave any money to Maurice-Jones Drew.

I would hate to see MJD leave Jax, but I would also like to see him go to a potential Super Bowl team as he has given everything to the Jags. Just take a look at the amount of carries the past 3 years.

I see three teams with cap room and unsettled RB positions that make sense: Green Bay, Cincinnati and New England. Each is a 2011 playoff team that should be looking to improve on 2011’s performance. Each could upgrade at RB.

New England seems the most likely, as they are always willing to deal if the value is right.

Trade disgruntled player for disgruntled player ? MJD for Mike Wallace ? No picks involved . Straight up deal . I think MJD would play for the Steelers and his current deal . And the Jags add another weapon to help out Blackmon . Although the Steelers dont have the cap room and some tough choices would have to be made to do it .

Well the holdout worked out for Vincent Jackson pretty well .. Not condoning it but maybe that is what MJD is doing?? Who knows .. @vikesfansteve what the hell is wrong with u? What does that have anything to do with his contract talks .. Also a lot of people question cutler unbeknownst to them that he had I believe a sprained mcl .. Come on man ?

You think AJ Smith, who preferred a comp pick to re-signing UFA Michael Turner and also let Darren Sproles (yeah, a little bit apples-to-oranges there, but the Saints aren’t complaining) walk, is going to now ante up a draft pick or two *and* more money for a vested vet who is already paid pretty well for a RB, but wants to be among the top paid?

To the people saying “The Jags should pay their best player…” THEY DID! They paid him earlier than they needed to. They ripped up his rookie contract and gave him a huge brand new front-loaded contract that made him the 3rd highest paid RB in the league. This was risky for them considering he had never carried the load before as he shared carries with Fred Taylor.

Did I mention the contract was front-loaded?

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I’m sick of so called Jag fans parroting BS like this.

MJD was never the 3rd highest paid back in the league, not even close. In fact, Marion Barber’s contract that was signed in 08 was worth more than the one MJD is still playing on. Barber has never had a 1000 yard rushing season. People need to quit acting like MJD was given an amazing amount of money.

Steven Jackson, Tomlinson, Portis, McFadden, Reggie Bush, Thomas Jones, Larry Johnson, and Marion Barber all had contracts that were worth more per year than MJD’s back when he signed it in 09.

MJD was getting 1300 yards from scrimmage and over 12 TDs a year his 1st 3 years so he got paid for what he did.

And how in the hell is MJD’s contract front-loaded? His base salary ever year is between $4 mil and $5mil, his 1st year he only got paid $4 mil in base salary(and he’s getting more than that this year and next year).

If by front-loaded you mean he got a signing bonus, then yes, his contract and every contract in the league is “front-loaded”, lol.

MJD is severely underpaid by elite back standards. Reggie Bush will get a bigger base salary this year than MJD, let that sink into your brain for a moment.

I hope the falcons want no part of it! Why would we want a 27 year old back who has an avg of 247 carries per year since 2006. Not to mention that he is holding out with 2 years left on a deal that he signed. He also will want a 5 year deal that will handcuff the falcons for at least the next 3 years… NO WAY. Michael turner is not the same back he once was but I think I like our chances with Quizz Rodgers, Snelling & Turner way more than bringing in MJD

straight up trade him for Felix Jones. Jones is made of glass and the Cowboys would love to get the reliable MJD over Jones. Jones is younger and cheaper which are great for the cheapass Jags, owners of one of the smallest payrolls and way way under the salary cap.

I can’t post the link, but here is the quote from the 04/15/2009 article from ESPN’s John Clayton

“Maurice Jones-Drew agreed Wednesday to an extension that will make him one of the three highest-paid running backs in football.”

3rd biggest contract in the league for a RB behind Portis, S-Jax, and LJ

5 year deal worth $31 million with $17.5 million signing bonus.

Wrong again. He got a signing bonus of $9 mil, his 1st 2 year’s base salaries were guaranteed(which he was getting anyway-you don’t give someone a $9 mil signing bonus and cut him before the 1st year or two of the contract anyway).

That claim was made when none of those people actually knew the figures of the deal.

Marion Barber was given a 7 year $45mil deal, that is more than 30.95mil over 5 years that MJD got.

And how would he have the 3rd largest contract behind 3 RBs?

And McFadden was drafted a year earlier and has always been paid $10 mil a year in his rookie deal. I also forgot to mention Peterson has always been paid more than MJD, too.

I would love to see it because I have a lot of respect for MJD but your underestimating aj’s huge ego. He traded up for Mathews so this move would only make him look bad in ownership’s eyes, needless to say the fans. They are desperate to win and they have some money to play with, but this is not happening.

I can understand the “knee-jerk reaction” in Koetter being the OC, thus a thought this could happen.. but I will give you one name.

Jacquizz Rodgers

This guy has waaay to much potential and youth for Atlanta to “break the bank” on an MJD deal. In fact, Koetter being in Atlanta only makes Jacquizz’s stock HIGHER due to his experience with under-sized backs (MJD for example).

The second reason.. Atlanta pretty much gave any future picks away in the Julio Jones move; hence, they have nothing to offer Jax.

“Though the Jags may not be interested in a package that would include, say, running back Michael Turner and more, bringing Jones-Drew to the Falcons would allow the team to go younger at the starting tailback position.”

Yep…they would go younger (Jones-Drew is 27 as opposed to Turner’s 30) but they would also get a running back who has “less tread on the tires” (as you like to put it, Mike)…since Jones-Drew has 1,484 carries through 2011 compared to Turner’s 1,417…doesn’t sound like they’re getting much younger to me…

Why do nfl teams front load contracts? Shouldn’t the pay scale go up every year not down to give the player more incentive to play harder? Let’s say you get 10million first year, then 7 then next, then 4 the next… does that make sense? Please someone enlighten me, I don’t know.